Cool Hotels: The Point at Saranac Lake

The Point, tucked mysteriously on the edge of Lake Saranac in Adirondacks, is something of a legend among the editors of travel magazines. It's always listed at the top or close to the top of those "best hotel" or "most romantic spots" lists. Everything from the hefty price tag (the never-discounted rooms start at $1250 per night) to its beautiful, isolated location, to a ridiculously blue-blooded history has sustained the place's reputation as the pinnacle of high living

When I heard one of the world's most luxurious and expensive hotels was not located in London or Dubai but rather rustic upstate New York, my curiosity was piqued. I was unaware that certain early-twentieth century robber barons preferred the lush wilderness of the Adirondacks over bourgeois destinations like the Hamptons. These overstuffed, bored rich folks built spectacular "camps" nestled in the forests and lakes of upstate New York and hoped that no one would notice.

The heyday of the robber baron is now gone, replaced by the heyday of the sports star, the movie star or the internet mogul, but the greatest of the Adirondack camps, once owned by the Rockefellers, is, now The Point - a resort of unparalleled luxury that promises you too can live like the gilded age millionaires old.

So, the question I wanted to know is, just what the hell makes a hotel room (with one bed) worth $1250 per night? Do vestal virgins feed you grapes? Do they carry you to the restroom? What?

Luckily for me, I was able to spend a night at The Point and discover how people like P Diddy and Warren Buffet can afford to live. Allow me to share.

1) Staff members greet guests with good Champagne as their cars and luggage are whisked away by valets. Everything is unloaded into your room for you as you are toured the relatively small but meticulously kept grounds. (I refused, nay, kept a death-grip on my purse - the valets no doubt recognized me as a peasant right then and there.)

2) Once inside, everything is included and tipping is forbidden. There are three fully stocked bars open 24 hours. If an attendant is not available to make your drink, you are free to make your own. And generous as you wish. (This explained why do many guests slept so soundly on the chaise lounges scattered throughout the property.)

3) The kitchen is also open twenty-four hours, and although the hoity-toity chef plans a dinner menu â you can have whatever you what made any time day or night. If they don't have it, they will have it FedExed for the next day. (Oh the agony of choice. With each meal, I begged for suggestions from the chef.)

4) There are several boats available to the guests. These include canoes, kayaks, three small, but gorgeous wooden motorboats, a cruiser, perfect for a summertime cocktails, speedboat boat for waterskiing. And thereâs the replica of Mr. Rockefeller's boat, the 33-foot mahogany Hackercraft. I took out one of the small outboards and thoroughly enjoyed put-putting about the lake. Before I left, one of the staff members gave me a map so I wouldn't get lost. (He also handed me a cocktail for the road. So, I assume they weren't too worried about me wrecking the boat.)

5) After boating, I went to the pub for a quick game of pool in the cozy pub. The pub also has darts, cards and one of the fully stocked bars. There is also a nearby croquet field and badminton equipment. A VCR and TV is there, but it is not hooked up to cable because you are supposed to be getting away from it all here. There's a selection of old movies in VHS. (That's gloriously old school rich.)The pub, like every other building, also has big, green umbrellas available just in case it rains â which was one of my favorite touches even though it did not rain.

6) There are no phones in the rooms, but there are wooden phone cubicles where long distance is unlimited and free. (Hi, Mom! They placed a cookie with my name on it on the pillow! No kidding!)

7) All the rooms have working fireplaces and fires are ready-made for guests. All that's necessary is to light them. The sumptuous beds offer fluffy mattresses, down featherbeds and plenty of space. The room is also stocked with complementary bottled water and snacks including fresh fruit and the bathrooms are chocked full of Kiehl's products. (Soon, my bag was stuffed with them, too.)

8) The hotel holds a cocktail hour in the early evening, which is a perfect time to meet the other guests. Since it was a beautiful night, we had cocktails and Horsdoeuvres on the cruising boat. The staff helpfully reminded me that I should wear flats on the boat, but I could change into my heels at dinner. This prompted an amusing visual image of a stiletto-ed trophy wife plunging headfirst into the lake. (By the way, it's Crudités not carrot sticks.)

9) Dinner is served at eight, either in your room or in the community dinning room. jackets & ties are required and black tie is suggested on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Big round tables, a fireplace and giant dead animal heads lend a rustic vibe to the fancy food. Appropriate wines are served with each course. As the wine flowed, I began to field delicately-worded but still vulgar questions from my dinner companions about just how it is that was that I could afford to be there. My suggestion on how to handle these Caddyshack moments? Answer like old money, with a smooth evasion. (Let's face, real billionaires wouldn't have to come to this joint, would they? They already own joints like this.)

10) After dinner, guests are invited to a bonfire, including s'mores, on the point itself, which overlooks the lake. Not only were there s'mores, but a small bar had been set up there as well. Brilliant.

11) In the morning, you may choose breakfast in bed or breakfast on the deck overlooking the lake. I'm an early riser, so I was able to enjoy the sunrise on the deck with my morning coffee. Again are no menus - you just order what you like and they make it. You want eggs benedict? You got it. You want an atkins-approved omelet? You got it. You want fresh blueberries, granola and yogurt (like I did) - you got it - all served with a smile.

12) I needed to leave early, so the hotel manager offered to send me away with a box lunch for the road. My car was brought around (filled with gas), my luggage and the box lunch packed inside and chilled bottled water in the cup holders.

Comments

Darn it, in the above long winded post, I forgot to mention one of my favorite all time things about The Point. One of their policies read:

"No children under 16 but well-behaved dogs are welcome."

Posted by: Melissa Marshall | July 29, 2007 at 11:40 AM

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Posted by: lilyRuth | July 29, 2007 at 09:05 PM